Characters:Serena, Blair, Dan with a little dose of Nate, Rufus, Eric, Chuck, Lily, Vanessa and Jenny.
Spoilers:Every episode in Series 1 to 4; I refuse to accept Blair is pregnant in any universe. Cece is alive.
Summary: This is written in the Taciturn universe and is a continuation from Bridges. It is a continuation of Serena's Point of View (POV) on Dan and Blair's relationship. This story overlaps with both Taciturn and Bridges in that Dan and Blair have been friends for over two years (hope that is not too confusing).
Un-beta'd, all mistakes are my own.
Tantrums, Tiaras and Graduation
"Humphrey!"
Urgh, she really hates that breathy simpering way B says Dan's name whenever he does something adorable. She decides to make a stealthy exit before B decides to include her in her gushing of all things Humphrey. As she steps into the elevator, she wonders whether Nate is doing anything.
No longer in denial she has now accepted that B has two best friends; and that Dan belongs to Blair in ways she can't fathom. She sees it in their interactions with each other, they mesh.
With Nate switching majors a few times and Blair deferring one or two semesters when she was engaged to Louis, Dan is the first to graduate in their group.
B had taken it upon herself to organise Dan's graduation party and is driving everyone crazy with all the craziness that ensues whenever Blair organises anything. She can't fathom why Blair is fretting over whether Alison would like her or not. She has met Alison before which she reminds B a few times already. And B always replies by saying, "Not in this capacity S, I'm Dan's friend, probably his only friend, one must make a good impression!"
Before she could protest, somehow B has roped her into helping with the party organising.
B is such a dictator slave driver!
She wonders why Dan is not helping; after all it's his party. B ignores her every time she moans about this or responds obstinately, And let him Brooklynfy everything! This may be the only decent party he is ever going to have in his life and I'm not going to let him ruin it.
Any of her attempts to get Dan to convince B of this great injustice doesn't go very far, the big wuse.
To be fair Dan has tried a few times to get B to ease up, but B always does this thing where she looks all doe eyed and says she is only working everyone so hard including herself, because she wants to give him the best party ever. Urgh! And Dan falls for it hook line and sinker. She misses the days when Dan was 100% on her side and was not afraid to be vocal about it even if it earned him a few scowls from Blair.
Rufus does not bat at eye lid at Blair taking charge of organising Dan's graduation party.
The day of Dan's graduation does not start of well, Jenny makes a face upon arriving at the loft and comments that the loft does not look like the loft. B and Jenny have a mini stand off where B tells Jenny to go back to Vermont or whatever trailer wagon she hitched a ride on; so much for making a good impression B.
The party goes off without a hitch; B is in her element as hostess and is flitting between guests with Dan by her side. She sees Jenny looking at Blair suspiciously; it seems Jenny thinks Blair is up to something.
If Blair notices Jenny's looks she does not show it, Blair is too busy doing her usual gushings and must impress the grown ups persona.
The graduation party is a success. However Blair does not think so, because Vanessa and her family got invited to the party when they (Dan's party) bumped into them at the graduation ceremony. She can tell without looking at her that B is thinking up ways to get rid of them.
From time to time she stands on the periphery and watches the scene before her; the whole place is buzzing with people, music and is lively with a feel good ambience.
Penelope and the other minions are flirting with some of the male party guests; Rufus and Mom are chatting to Vanessa's parents; B and Dan are laughing at something Dan said; Jenny and Eric are huddled together, Alison and Nate are talking? She wonders what they could possibly have in common. Where is Vanessa?
She finds Vanessa is Dan's room sitting on the bed and gazing at nothing in particular.
"Hey"
"Hey" replies Vanessa. I just couldn't help myself, so much has happened in this room; this house. I can't believe this is the end."
"Yeah, it is amazing how time flies."
They both nod and then there is a silent pause.
"I never thought that out of all the people in the world Dan would fall for her." Vanessa looks at Serena with alarm in her eyes and begins to apologise profusely.
"Hey, its ok, I've made my peace with it a long time ago." Serena assures her.
Vanessa sighs and says "It's just, why her?"
"Who knows why we fall for anyone Vanessa."
Vanessa sighs and tries to back track by saying, "I didn't come to cause trouble and I'm glad Dan invited me. For what it is worth, and it is probably nothing after all I have done, I am really sorry for my part in the Juliet fiasco; it was wrong and unfair. It wasn't your fault that Dan fell out of love with me and loved you instead; my issues where with Dan and not you."
"Dan did love you Vanessa; you guys had this bond that even I couldn't compete with."
"I…that was a nice thing to say, thank you."
"Hey it's cool, ehm...I have to go." She says wanting to get out of there quickly as the atmosphere was an awkward/uncomfortable one.
As she turns to leave the room Vanessa says, "I know how it feels to watch someone you love fall out in love with you, only for them to fall in love someone else with a passion they never felt for you."
She turns to look at Vanessa, opens her mouth to retort, but nothing came out. She shakes her head, somehow doing that gives her clarity, she smiles and begins to leave the room.
When she gets to the door, she turns and says to Vanessa, "Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds".
Vanessa looks amazed that she knows Shakespeare. Seeing the stunned look on Vanessa's face gives her a satisfied feeling and with that she exits the room swiftly.
The party comes to a natural end at around 3am. Thanks to Blair's awesome organisational skills there were no remnants of the party left, she made sure the cater service cleaned up after the party.
The parents and all the guests left hours ago, so that the kids could have fun. Jenny seems more relaxed now. Maybe she has overcome her initial suspicions.
Jenny and Eric crash in Rufus's old bedroom. She and Blair were to crash in Dan's room.
She lives Dan and Blair debating about whatever it is they debate about and crashes in Dan's room. It's been a busy day and she is really tired.
Dan gets accepted on a graduate programme at Oxford. Blair is taking it upon herself to help him find a dorm, chose his electives/modules, pack, etc. You'd think it was Blair going away to college with all the planning boards around the house.
Dan leaves for England a month later.
B seems generally subdued since Dan left for England; she can tell that B misses him.
It's not too long after Dan leaves that B and Chuck get back together. As per usual Chuck and Blair crash and burn before they ever begun.
Dan comes home for Christmas and brings Emily with him. Despite his protestations Mom has a welcome home party. Everyone is there, even Blair and Chuck. There are a lot of hugs, kisses, pats on the back and a lot I missed you man from Nate.
Emily is nice mousy little thing, totally different from the girls Dan has dated, but she's nice, Dan really seems to like her and somehow they fit. Emily is in her first year studying for a PhD in Art History.
She can tell within a few minutes of Blair being introduced to Emily that Blair doesn't like her. She nudges Blair and says be nice.
Blair's idea of being nice is to be passive aggressive by taking subtle digs at Emily's lack of money and style, and continually referring to her Emma.
Chuck notices this as well and she overhears him telling Blair that green doesn't suit you.
When Blair is not taking digs at Emily, she is insulting Dan and it's not subtle.
Blair and Dan are a little weird with each other; they are not their usual selves in their interactions with each other, there is definitely something wrong in the air.
She tries to reason with B when they get home hoping she would divulge whatever is the matter with her and Dan. B gets on the defensive and it becomes a blow out argument, looking back she is not sure what the argument is about, but she does have it out with B.
She is frank with her and tells her that the only reason she insults him so much is because she doesn't want to admit how much you really like him.
To which B scoffs and says, "I insult him because he is from Brooklyn and has no style".
"So your jabs at Emily tonight", she enquires raising her eyebrows.
"Humphrey could do so much better. Did you see what she was wearing?"
"Really Blair! So what would be much better, you?"
"Don't be absurd S, you know I don't go downtown; low rent and déclassé are much more your style", she replies with aplomb, raising her eyebrows sardonically.
She isn't going to rise to the bait so that Blair could deflect from her feelings.
"Really B are you still playing this game after all these years? When are you going to snap out of this pretence? Life is not some movie; it's ok to diverge from the script from time to time. I mean diverging from the script led you to Chuck."
"And we saw how well that turned out. I'm not you Serena, I don't …"
"Look B, I don't want you to miss out on something that could be good for you."
"Dan Humphrey is not good for me! I mean look at you, your still pathetically pining after your high school boyfriend."
"I am not pining after him. Dan and I are over, we've been over for a long time and you know it!"
"Please you guys can never be over, you are Dan and Serena."
"Blair, you and I know that Dan is in love with someone else…he is in love with you."
"He isn't..." Blair begins to protest
"B please just stop this! We are not going to rehash this again!"
"B I'm not mad, well I was when I first found out hence the Chuck fiasco, but I've made my peace with it."
Blair looks mortified. "Oh S I've said some terrible things to him, I wish I could take it back."
"It's Dan, he's got a good heart, he'll forgive you."
"What about Emily?"
"What about her? B take a chance, put yourself out there."
"I'm not you Serena."
"I'm not asking you to be me, but you need to be truthful to yourself and ask yourself why you have problems with the girls Dan dates and despite your protestations I know you like him."
"I can't believe you're championing this", Blair says grudgingly, "he's meant to be it for you."
"But I'm not it for him." She says looking at Blair quizzically. "And if you think he can do so much better than Emily then do something about it."
"I don't hate Emma, though the same couldn't be said about her outfit."
After a lengthy pause, she says cautiously, "Blair it is ok to like Dan you know".
"For your information I don't need your permission to like anyone, I can like whom ever I please."
It's nice to see B is on fire when it counts, she muses sardonically.
They leave the conversation there. When Blair doesn't mention it again she assumes that Blair chickened out of telling Dan.
A few days later Blair comes steaming into her room in anger yelling that it is her fault for encouraging her to tell Dan how she felt.
She does not get to the bottom of why B is upset, because B's angers turns into tears and she looks like someone crushed her whole world. All she can do is comfort her best friend. After that B refuses to discuss the events of Brooklyn's past (as she has labelled it) and insists that it is all behind her.
She goes to see Dan to find out what happened. Dan is equally steaming with anger and yells at her for interfering in things that do not concern her. He ends the conversation by saying abruptly; I didn't bring my girlfriend all the way from England, so that I could dump her at Blair's say so.
He and Emily leave for England a few days later.
She can't help feeling guilty.
Dan has not been back to New York since that awful Christmas. It's as if he is avoiding New York and prefers to spend his time in Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Singapore, Japan and Dubai. Even Grandma all the way in Montecito got at least 2 visits from him.
She doesn't understand why he doesn't come home to visit.
Dan writes a book titled "Lonely Boy"; it is a coming of age story about a boy who is always on the outside in every area of his life. Critics are hailing him as the new Salinger.
She is scared to read it after "Inside", but is taken by surprise how very little any of them features in it. For once, Dan is the star of his story.
The book is really good and she can see movie houses vying for the rights. She is really proud of Dan; everyone is.
The book tour comes to other states in America, but not New York. Everyone is puzzled, Rufus especially looks pained. Any attempt to get an answer from Dan is deflected. She knows he and Blair parted on bad terms years, but that was a long time ago, surely that can't be why he has not been coming to New York? She shrugs it off as Dan experiencing an out of sight out of mind phenomenon that people who live abroad often succumb to.
Author's notes:
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, good, bad or ugly (please be constructive).
I felt like this was a natural end to this part/chapter, hence the ending. However, I do not feel it is the natural end to this story and intend to finish it probably in another character's point of view.
When I wrote this back in January, I had no clue that GG writers where going to do the Nate/Diana/Chuck's mother arc. The Nate/Alison implication was written as tongue in cheek knowing Nate's predilection for older women.